Delhi Police claim ‘vital clues’ in bombing probe (Second Lead)

New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) Delhi Police were optimistic of cracking Saturday’s serial blasts with recovery of “vital clues” Sunday as their counterparts from other states joined hands to unravel the terror plot.Assistant Commissioner of Police and spokesman Rajan Bhagat said they have collected vital clues and investigations were on right track.

“The investigation is on right track. We would crack the case soon by making some arrests,” he said.

Earlier in the day, senior officers from police and the Intelligence Bureau met at the police headquarters. Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna chaired the meeting.

Officials said the security agencies made some progress in the investigation, but were grappling for a breakthrough after 24 hours of the serial blasts Saturday evening - one at busy Karol Bagh Market, two at Connaught Place and two at the M block market in Greater Kailash-I.

The police officials questioned some eyewitnesses - a balloon seller, a security guard, a parking attendant and two vendors among others - at the police headquarters and with their help were preparing the sketches of the suspected bombers.

Joint Commissioner of Police (South Range) Rajesh Kumar told IANS they have identified the owner of the Atlas Gold Line cycle, to which a bomb was strapped and triggered in Greater Kailash M-Block market.

“The cycle owner said he just parked his cycle and went inside the shop. He only came to know about the blast after hearing the explosion. He said someone planted the bomb in 10 minutes,” Kumar said.

The police were also checking the footage captured by a close circuit television (CCTV) camera placed directly over a blast site. However, police officials said it had not yielded any success and they would check it once again.

Senior police officials also said they have identified the driver of an autorickshaw that was barely a few inches away from a blast spot. However, they were not sure whether the bomb was placed inside the vehicle or around it.

“We have talked to him. He is recuperating from severe injuries. We would interrogate him at length once he recovers,” said a police official.

Till now, the police have detained at least seven people but have made no arrest.

Senior police official said they were probing the role of the shadowy terror group Indian Mujahideen, now stated to be the striking core of Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), behind the Delhi terror attacks.

“Our suspicion is that SIMI is responsible for the terror attacks in Delhi as in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Bangalore before,” an investigating officer said.

Five minutes before the first bomb exploded, the Indian Mujahideen sent out email messages to media houses claiming responsibility and warning them about the impending disaster.

The composition of the bombs was similar to those recovered live in Surat in July.

National Security Guard Director General J.K. Dutt said the bombs were packed with ammonium nitrate besides shrapnels and ball bearings for maximum impact.

“The composition of the bombs is very similar to those triggered in Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Bombs recovered in Surat were also of the same composition,” Dutt added.

Simultaneously, police teams searched hotels and guest houses in the Walled City and Karol Bagh areas in a desperate hunt for the elusive bombers who some believe could have been from outside Delhi.

A team of policemen was expected to visit Gujarat to talk to Abu Bashir, whom the Gujarat police arrested in connection with the Ahmedabad blasts of July 26 that killed 56 people.

It is learnt that a team probing the May 13 Jaipur blasts was in the capital and was working closely with sleuths of Delhi Police’s Special Cell.

The Jaipur police arrested Shahbaz Hussain last month, calling him the architect of the blasts in that city.

Police official said they were in close coordination with the Guhjarat and Jaipur Police, which have already arrested suspected terrorists from the Indian Mujahideen.

The police were also probing role of Abdul Subhan alias Tauqhir, absconding terrorist of Indian Mujahideen, in the blasts. He is believed to have sent the email, ‘the message of death’, from a wi-fi connection of a company called Kamran Power Private Limited based in Chembur in Mumbai. His name has also appeared during investigations of the Ahmedabad blasts.

Delhi Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal gave a cash award of Rs.50,000 each to a rag picker and a street vendor, whose identities were not revealed, for their exemplary service that led to the timely intervention of security agencies, which defused two live bombs kept at India Gate and the Regal cinema.

The toll rose to 21 while around 100 injured were recuperating at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and Jessa Ram Hospital. Many were said to be in critical conditions.